William Woods softball thinks its starting to gel.
The Owls all contributed on offense Wednesday at the University of Saint Mary, sweeping the doubleheader 9-4 and 10-5 for their first sweep of the season. Every Owl reached base in Game 1, with five of them picking up a hit, and Annika Ramon had a career day at the plate in Game 2, hitting her first career home run and driving in six.
“We are starting to gel a little more on the field which is good to see early,” head coach Tracy Gastineau said. “We have had a lot of different people step up which is also promising.”
In Game 1, Saint Mary (5-7) scored first in the first inning after a single and passed ball against William Woods starter Sarah Randerman, who is the reigning AMC pitcher of the week after striking out nine batters in a complete game against Ottawa University. Randerman ended up allowing two more runs in the second inning, including one off a triple, but settled down retiring the Spires in order four out of the final five innings. She had a final line of seven innings with nine strikeouts, six hits, four runs and three walks.
Randerman’s offense didn’t wait long to give her support as William Woods (4-6) tied the game in the second inning. Reigning AMC player of the week Kristen Mogan, after a 2-for-3 three-RBI game against Ottawa walked to lead off the inning, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch with no outs still recorded. The Owls walked four more times in the inning, with three of the free passes pushing in a run, to end the inning with four runs home.
William Woods scored in the next four innings, including an RBI triple from Jessica Keilholz, who went 2-for-2 with two walks, in the third inning and a two-RBI double from Arianna Donovan, who went 2-for-4, in the fifth inning. Celeste Sermeno finished 3-for-5 and Taylor Bell went 3-for-4 for the Owls.
In Game 2, Mallory Feldewerth and Jaden Swift each drove in runs for William Woods, with each of them finishing 2-for-3. Ramon led the offense with her 3-for-5 day. Alexis Hassler earned the win after going 5⅓ innings with five runs allowed and two batters struck out.
William Woods begins its play in the Gulf Coast Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Louisiana Christian University and then plays two games at 11:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday against No. 20 Morningside College and Faulker University.